The process of post-Mohs reconstructive surgery

Mohs reconstructive surgery is the special method to remove skin cancers. Most of them are done in the office of the physician. It is a precise as well as highly detailed technique which involves the sequential removal of small skin layers.

Following the removal of skin cancer lesions through Mohs surgery the doctor may simply perform the closure himself. He may even refer you to some plastic surgeon for the performance of post-Mohs reconstruction surgery.

There are different processes and techniques involved for the performance of post-Mohs reconstructive surgery as the types of affected tissues, amounts and locations vary from one patient to another.


The most commonly used techniques are:

* Bone grafting, where the skull provides a bone that can be shaped and placed inside the site of excision
* Flap technique, which is most commonly used for facial reconstruction after skin cancer
* Skin grafts, which is quite an infrequent technique
* Tissue expansion, which used in a very small amount of the cases
* Cartilage grafting, where the ear is the common donor site; however, rib cartilage may also be used

The exact method used for reconstructive surgery

1. Administering anesthesia

General anesthesia, intravenous sedation or local anesthesia may be used to perform skin cancer reconstruction. The best choice may be recommended by the doctor.

If the lesion is excised by the plastic surgeon then he will be doing it at this very stage. Small lesions having well-defined borders can be removed by excision - a simpler surgical process.

2. Removal of the lesion

The step may be completed by the doctor in some separate process. If not, the plastic surgeon removes the lesion or may do so in close association with the dermatological surgeon by forming a team and doing a single procedure.

Small lesions having well-defined borders can be removed by excision, a simpler surgical process. Larger ones with no well-defined borders require Mohs surgery.

3. Closing the wound

In case the procedure is simple excision, the process is a very straightforward one. In case of the complex Mohs surgery, there will be a defect left behind, as the result of the removal and there are many options for repair.

Despite the many different techniques used, the surgeon will at all times take care to make sure that the suture line, as a result of the process, is placed following the natural curves and creases of the face so that the appearance is minimized.

After-effects of the surgery

It should be noted as a very important thing that in almost 15% of the cases, the reconstruction process following skin cancer excision should be completed in two stages. It is followed especially in case of certain cases and usage of flap techniques.

In the first stage, creating and repositioning of the flap is done. In the second stage, the flap is sectioned or separated from the blood supply and the original location.

Once the recovery has been done and the wound’s blood supply is completely established, there rises the scheduling of a second surgery to complete reconstruction.


Post surgery, the patient must make sure they follow the surgeon’s instructions minutely. He may place some dos and don’ts before the patient, which should be closely followed. In most cases, alcohol should be avoided.

Similar Articles:

ABC of Plastic Surgery

History of Plastic Surgery

Cheek augmentation surgery for fuller cheeks